Turkish Pasta with Spiced Beef
A bold Turkish-inspired pasta featuring spiced ground beef, creamy yogurt sauce, and butter-paprika drizzle for a hearty, flavorful, and comforting meal.
Equipment
- 1 large pot for boiling pasta
- 1 skillet for cooking spiced beef
- 1 bowl for mixing yogurt sauce
- 1 small saucepan for preparing butter sauce
Ingredients
- 12 oz 340 g pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
- Salt for pasta water
- 1 lb 450 g ground beef
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp chili flakes optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup plain yogurt Greek preferred
- 1 clove garlic finely grated
- Salt to taste
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp chili flakes optional
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
- Extra chili flakes for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Season beef with paprika, cumin, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper.
- Cook until beef is browned and fully cooked, then remove from heat.
- In a bowl, combine yogurt, grated garlic, and salt until smooth; let come to room temperature.
- Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan.
- Stir in paprika and chili flakes; heat gently until fragrant without browning.
- Place cooked pasta in serving bowls.
- Spoon yogurt sauce over the pasta.
- Top with spiced beef.
- Drizzle generously with warm butter sauce.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and extra chili flakes if desired.
- Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Use room temperature yogurt to prevent curdling when mixed with hot pasta.
- Keep butter sauce warm but avoid overheating to prevent paprika bitterness.
- Swap ground beef with lamb for traditional Turkish flavor.
- Best served fresh; reheating might alter yogurt texture.